Nestled in a 2-kilometer wide valley sits the ruins of the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is worth a visit if you’re spending time in Central Vietnam. It’s rich history, as well as its tragic partial destruction during the Vietnam War make this site a must-see when you’re visiting nearby Da Nang.
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary in Vietnam
Originally we hadn’t planned to visit the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary during our vacation in Da Nang. It was a little farther out of the way than we were wanting to travel – especially after our 45-minute drive to Sun World Ba Na Hills – and we didn’t really know much about it. But as our vacation was drawing to a close, we realized that this was probably our one and only chance to visit the sanctuary – and we would regret it if we passed it up. So we hired a driver and made plans to visit first thing in the morning. Our hope was to escape some of the heat of the day. What we failed to recognize, however, is that in Central Vietnam in the middle of June, the hottest time of the day is about 11:00am. So, despite our best efforts, it was insanely hot (with a real feel of 107 degrees F) during our trip to Mỹ Sơn (which is pronounced like “mee sawn”). Still, it was a morning well-spent and we are so glad we were able to make the time to go.
It’s quite the trek from the main entrance to the temple ruins of the sanctuary. Thankfully, there are free buses that run between the two, cutting a good 2 kilometers out of what would be a very overwhelming walk. I’ll share detailed instructions on where to catch the bus at the bottom of this post.
The Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary ruins and temples were once places of worship and prayer for Shaiva Hindus among the Cham people. Original construction occurred between the 4th and the 14th centuries (with many artifacts and temple sites dating clear back to the 4th century). Naturally, there has been some wear-and-tear over the centuries – and reconstruction and restoration was started in 1937 by French scholars. Restoration continued until about 1943. However, during the Vietnam War, US aircraft bombed the sanctuary in August of 1969, demolishing many of the buildings. And, although restoration and reconstruction have still been a priority, much of the damage from the 1969 bombing is still evident today. In fact, much of the surrounding area is still considered to be hazardous because of the possibility of unexploded landmines.
But don’t let the “potential danger” of landmines deter you from paying Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary a visit – there are clearly marked paths through the area (and you can do a self-tour through the numbered buildings) which have all been cleared for safety. My advice? Visit the sanctuary and just stay on the marked paths and you’ll be fine. That being said, be aware that the structures are incredibly old. And, even with restoration efforts over the years, some may still be at risk for collapse. During our visit, many of the buildings were closed to visitors for this reason. Rest assured, though, that the buildings that are open for visitors have been reinforced and restored so they should be perfectly safe. And I HIGHLY recommend going inside any of the buildings that you can.
The Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary was once the political and religious capital of the Champa Kingdom. In fact, it stood as the capital for most of its existence. It was intentionally built within a valley – surrounded by the mountains – so that it would be easier to defend from enemies and invaders. There is SO MUCH history on the sanctuary and the Cham people – too much for me to get into here. I highly recommend doing some research and checking out the World Heritage Conventions site and entries on Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary before you visit.
As with any museum or historical site, there is so much to learn at the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary. Although we didn’t get to learn as much as I would have liked (because we have five young kids, we opted to do the self-tour, rather than paying to hire a tour guide), but we enjoyed seeing the ruins and soaking up the site.
’til next time…
Ash
How to visit Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary
Directions: The address for Mỹ Sơn is Duy Phú, Duy Xuyên District, Quảng Nam, Vietnam, but simply typing “My Son Sanctuary” into Google Maps will get you there just the same. After purchasing your tickets and entering through the main gate, head into the small museum and see the artifacts in there. In addition, you can purchase (for about $2) stories to listen to on your phone about each of the sites within the sanctuary. From the museum, you’ll walk across a bridge and they you should see some green shuttles. Hop on a shuttle and they’ll drive you the 2 kilometers (give-or-take) to the ruins.
Cost: Admission for the sanctuary is 150,000 VND (about $6.35) for adults. Children are FREE to enter. Included is the shuttle that takes you to the ruins. If you want to book a tour guide, they are available for purchase as the sanctuary itself, or you can book a tour through Get Your Guide.
Amenities: There are bathrooms and a restaurant just outside the main ticket office. In addition, there are multiple cafés throughout the sanctuary where you can purchase snacks, drinks, and ice cream. Where the shuttle drops you off near the ruins there is also plenty of shaded seating, a gift shop, and more bathrooms.
